- Expats
Biometric scanning system to be tested at five provincial airports
The Ministry of Transport is considering using biometric facial scanning of air passengers, initially at five provincial airports, as part of a pilot project to develop smart airports across the kingdom. The deputy transport minister said Tuesday that a working committee, comprising members of the Department of Airports, the Royal Thai Police Office and the Ministry of Interior, has been…
- Economy News
Airline on brink of collapse, TG president warns
The president of Thai Airways has announced that the national flag carrier is in deep financial trouble and may have to fold unless staff members unite to work harder. He also said that there may still be time, though not much, to save the company. “Otherwise speculation that THAI is going bankrupt will materialize and there is a chance that…
- World News
Human hair trade exploits ASEAN women
Hair extensions have become an essential part of the multi-billion-dollar hair industry, with estimated annual sales of 250 million to over 1 billion USD. Based on a 2018 Research and Markets report, the global hair, wigs and extension market is expected to surpass 10 billion USD by 2023. Raw human hair has significant commercial value: it’s a coveted commodity to…
- Crime News
Thai women in Japan drug bust
Japanese Police and Customs Officials at Fukuoka Airport reported the arrest of seven Thai women who smuggled in drugs weighing more than a kilogram into Japan. The women separated the drugs into tiny bags and hid them in random places on their bodies. The women purchased tour tickets and tried to blend in as Thai tourists. When caught with the…
- Bangkok News
Green Day heading back to BKK in 2020
Green Day, five-time Grammy Award winners, are embarking on a global tour in 2020, including a stop-over in Bangkok during March. The rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame inductees will perform a series of concerts throughout Europe, UK, North America and Asia. “Green Day Live in Bangkok” takes place on March 11, 2020 at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani. But…
- Phuket News
30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands
Tourists were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins in the Similan Islands off the Phang Nga coast on Sunday. Tour organisers said that around 30 dolphins swam close to the boat six or seven miles offshore, creating excitement for passengers. It was the first time dolphins had been seen in the vicinity since October 15. The Similan…
- Economy News
Asia leads the world in medical tourism
Over the past ten years, Asia has become a favourite destination for medical tourism for people from around the world. Besides the white sand beaches, historic monuments and rich cultural legacy, healthcare in Asia is now a major attraction. From transplants and surgeries to dental procedures and botox, people are turning to Asia. But what makes Asia the most popular…
- News
10 billionaires among Thailand’s 500 MPs
Thailand has 10 billionaire MPs, while the poorest MP has just 5,064 baht in his bank account, according to reports from the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Of the 10 billionaire MPs, Mrs. Nathee Ratchakitprakarn, of the Bhumjaithai Party, wife of Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat, is the richest, with declared assets of about 4.675 billion baht. The other…
- News
3 killed as car skids into canal
A man and two women were killed after a car skidded off a road and plunged into a roadside canal in Phimai district of Nakhon Ratchasima on Sunday afternoon, according to police. Police and rescuers rushed to the scene after being informed of the accident, which occurred at about 2.50pm. At the scene, they found Toyota car submerged upside down…
- Business News
500 people own 36% of equity in Thai companies
Roughly 36% of Thailand’s corporate equity is held by just 500 people, highlighting wealth inequality in the Kingdom, according to a study released by the Bank of Thailand’s research institute. Each of these 500 amass some 3.1 billion baht (102 million USD) per year in company profits, according to the report from the Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research. In…
- News
PM will act on opposition’s recommendations
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Saturday that he was satisfied with the deliberations over the budget bill in the previous two days and promised to act on the constructive suggestions offered by opposition parties. Regarding the 400 billion baht allocated for the Central Fund, the Prime Minister admitted that the figure seems high, but it actually isn’t when measured…
- Northern Thailand News
Earthquake could hit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
A magnitude 4.1 tremor shook seven districts of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai on Friday night, prompting the Department of Mineral Resources to warn that the two northern provinces could face a magnitude 5 earthquake within ten years. The prediction is based on analysis of movements in the Mae Tha fault lines, including the 5.1 ML quake in December 2006,…
- News
Crystal meth worth 500 million baht seized
Acting on a tip-off, police and narcotic suppression officers in Tak province on 18 Oct seized 1.5 tons of crystal methamphetamine, better known as ice, worth more than 500 million baht, according to the Thai-language Khao Sod newspaper. The drugs were hidden under metal sheets in the back of an 18-wheel truck. Photo : SAQ News The truck driver and…
- News
Foreigner arrested for exchange counter robbery
A foreign man was arrested after robbing a currency exchange counter in a Bangkok bank on 16 October. Police worked with Immigration officers and the tourist police to arrest the man, whose nationality has yet to be confirmed. The man walked to a Government Savings Bank Currency Exchange Counter before pulling out a knife and threatening a clerk. He then…
- Politics News
PM defends the 80 billion baht munition spend
PHOTO: The Nation Speaking to the House of Representatives’ budget debate for the 2020 financial year yesterday, PM and Minister of Defence Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha defended the expenditure for the Defence Ministry. He claimed they must reserve a budget of 70-80 billion baht for buying munitions and vehicles for defense purposes. “This money is part of the Ministry of Defense’s…
- Thailand News
Thai Abbot accused of sexually abusing teen novice
A 51 year old Buddhist monk is accused of detaining a 13 year old novice monk and sexually abusing him, allegedly forcing him to give oral sex. The novice monk’s father accompanied the teenager to file a complaint at the Nong Khao police station in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, this week. The novice, identifying himself only as Nat, claims the abbot…
- Crime News
Convicted human traffickers ignore 99% of court orders in Thailand
Human traffickers in Thailand have ignored court orders to pay compensation to victims in more than the 99% of convicted cases in recent years. The flouting of the court orders is fuelling fears that many survivors could be victimised again. Thai courts have ordered traffickers to pay their victims more than $4.3 million for damages caused in about 1,335 cases…
- Phuket News
Now you see him, now you don’t… Patong Police hunt foreigner over $30k theft
PHOTO: Patong Police Patong Police have yet to develop any tangible leads tracking down a foreigner who made off with US$30,000 in cash from a currency exchange booth in Kalim, north of Patong in Phuket, last Tuesday. The man is about 168 centimetres tall with grey hair and around 60 years old, Patong police told The Phuket News. “We have…
- Tourism News
Twin TAT campaigns will boost domestic travel
In November the Tourism Authority of Thailand plans two campaigns – “Visit Thailand with 100 Baht” and “Shocking Price Weekday Travel”, – aimed to generate 400 million baht in local tourism revenue before the end of the year. The TAT’s executive director of product promotion said “Shocking Price Weekday Travel” would encourage upper and middle-class Thai tourists to travel more…
- Economy News
Thailand resume free trade talks with EU, reducing reliance on China
The European Union has restarted talks with Thailand about a potential free trade agreement. The talks started just days after unfreezing a deadlock put in place by the previous military junta. The resumption of talks comes as Thailand seeks to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on China, which accounted for 14% of the its total foreign direct investment in 2018.…
- Technology News
Thailand rated near bottom for privacy protection
Thailand’s new cybersecurity law could be used ‘to silence critics’, according to a new survey of 47 countries. Thailand placed in the bottom five out of 47 countries ranked for privacy protection, according to a study by Comparitech, a website that researches and compares technology services. Thailand and Malaysia scored 2.6 out of 5, followed only by India (2.4), Russia (2.1)…
- Technology News
True to introduce 5G with help from China Mobile
Kittinut Tikawan, president of Thai communication giant True Corporation, says True Move H Universal Communication plans a soft launch of 5G wireless broadband in Thailand within 2-3 months, through close collaboration with China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator. 5G mobile communications will allow virtually ‘instant’ delivery of video and services with remarkable leaps in speeds, at least 10-fold. The…
- Crime News
Clean Up to the Countdown – Crackdown on illegal software
PHOTO: Pantip Plaza, Bangkok The Clean Up to the Countdown campaign aims to encourage top executives to legalise their corporate software before midnight on December 31, 2019.” BSA The Software Alliance is partnering with Thai police and chief executives on a campaign to crackdown illegal software in the workplace by the end of 2019. Many companies still use illegal, pirated or copied…
- Tourism News
Thai Airways must modify rehabilitation plan to survive: Airline President
PHOTO: gta5-mods.com “Thai Airways will have to modify its rehabilitation plans to survive in the face of tight competition.” This frank admission by the airline’s president Sumet Damrongchaith. The national carrier is now carrying a total debt of over 2.45 billion baht and losses of more than 20 billion, despite being able to reduce its debts by 48 billion baht…
- Pattaya News
Torrential rains again wash away parts of Pattaya Beach, more on the way
PHOTOS: The Pattaya News Heavy rains have caused flooding and beach erosion on Pattaya’s recently reclaimed beach yesterday afternoon. The torrential rain continued for many hours around Central Pattaya. Heavy rains are also expected again today (forecast below). Many areas ended up flooded causing local traffic hazards and delays. Water flooded down storm drains and onto Pattaya’s beaches and into…
- Krabi News
Four metre, 15 kilogram king cobra found in a Krabi village
PHOTOS: Kapook.com On October 13, Krabi Pitak Pracha Foundation, a local volunteer rescue team, received a report requiring (probably screaming) for help from a house project security guard to help catch a ‘big snake’ that lived inside the drain of the village. Kapook reports that the rescue team arrived at the village where the security guard guided them to the…
- Health
21% of Thai teenagers are gambling
PHOTO: Gambling, local style, Rai Et, north-east Thailand – Pinterest Early in October the Thai Health Promotion Foundation met to discuss the gambling situation in Thailand in 2019. Also present were the Centre for Gambling Studies, Stop Gambling Foundation and related groups. The meeting was set up after a report revealed that more than half (57%) of the Thai population,…
- Environment News
New controls on three toxic agri-chemicals take effect on October 20
A number of ministers and officials are vowing to continue pushing for a ban on three controversial agri-chemicals – Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos – all still widely used in Thai agriculture. Meanwhile, strict measures on using the three chemicals, announced on April 5 and set take effect on October 20, have brought cheers from consumers and NGOs but protests from…
- Bangkok News
Festival of lights will decorate 13 Bangkok bridges until October 25
PHOTO: TakeMeTour Thirteen bridges over Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, as it snakes its way through the metropolitan areas, will be lit up in a festival that runs through to October 25. The Department of Rural Roads is decorating Rama III, Rama IV, Rama V, Rama VII, Maha Jesadabordinthanuson, Somdet Phra Pinklao, Phra Phuttha Yodfa, Phra Pok Klao, The King Taksin…
- Tourism News
Professor: Military government too interested in tourism – not people’s welfare
A professor of Rangsit University has criticised the previous military government for focusing too much on tourism and not enough on the welfare of the Thai people. The professor was speaking at Chulalongkorn University at a seminar discussing street stalls and urban development. She questioned the National Council for Peace and Order’s policy of clearing street vendors in all but a…
